Railroad crossings typically have a swinging gate which lowers or swings an arm in place across a road way to prevent motor vehicle access to the train tracks when a train is in close proximity to the crossing. These crossing guards, however, can be circumvented with great ease by, for example, either the vehicle driving around the gate, or the vehicle crashing though the gate. The consequences of a driver circumventing a traditional highway gate was that the driver placed the occupants of the vehicle at risk of being struck by a moving train, the train normally not being damaged by the collision.
Newer, high speed trains are gaining popularity around the world. These high speed trains are lighter, faster moving trains than the traditional heavier, slower moving trains. A collision between one of these high speed trains and an automobile places not only occupants of the automobile in danger but also the passengers on the train, since it is much easier to derail a light weight high speed train than a heavier slower moving train. A need therefore has risen for a railroad crossing barrier which is very difficult to circumvent, such barriers being placed at the corridors for high speed trains. It is unsatisfactory, however, to provide a crossing barrier which severely injures or kills the occupants of the vehicle striking it. A need therefore has arisen for an improved railroad crossing barrier which has energy absorbing characteristics.